NYU Launches Gender Neutral Bathroom Awareness Campaign

NYU’s LGBTQ Student Center has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the gender-neutral bathrooms that are available on campus. While there are many such bathrooms at NYU, “in the 3 most populated student buildings at NYU, there are only 2 gender-neutral bathrooms,” according to a flyer created by organization.

Gina Hong, an NYU student and member of OUTspoken, explained that “NYU, like most other institutions in this country, is not where it needs to be with respect to its commitment to providing safe, accessible spaces through gender neutral or single stall bathrooms.” She says she’s noticed some improvement, particularly at Gallatin (1 Washington Pl) and at GCASL (238 Thompson), but doesn’t believe there’s enough campus-wide conversation about the issue, “or even awareness about the fact that lack of access frequently leads to harassment, discrimination, and health issues for those gender non-conforming individuals.”

The campaign’s flyer also refers students to www.safe2pee.org, an independent guide to gender-neutral bathrooms around the country. Users can submit non-listed gender-neutral bathrooms to the site and browse locations by city. Popular cities include San Francisco, Portland, Las Vegas, and New York.

“This is a problem with relatively simple solutions that can be achieved at an institutional level with enough student agitation, but we have to be talking about and demanding that we move forward,” said Hong.

OUTspoken Peer Education developed a Gender Neutral Bathroom Guide in December 2012, which includes a map of every gender-neutral bathroom on campus.

The locations on the Washington Square campus include the following spots: